Friday 24 October 2014 15:38, UK
Saturday sees four European Rugby Challenge Cup showdowns, with Cardiff, Exeter, Connacht and Gloucester all in action.
Gloucester rugby director David Humphreys has braced his team for "a huge test" against European Challenge Cup opponents Oyonnax at Stade Charles-Mathon.
Gloucester will head to the French Alps following a 55-0 Challenge Cup demolition of Brive last week, a result that installed them as firm Pool 5 favourites.
Humphreys, though, has urged caution after announcing a starting XV that shows just two changes from the Brive game, with prop Nick Wood making his 250th Gloucester appearance and centre Henry Purdy also starting.
"Oyonnax are bottom of the French Top 14, but I am not sure that tells the full picture," Humphreys said.
"At the start of the season they were very close to beating Toulouse in Toulouse and have lost a number of games very narrowly.
"When you look at the way they play, they've scored a lot of points, they've scored a lot of tries. They have some big ball-carriers, so it's going to be a huge test for us.
"For any team travelling to France, it's important to get off to a good start so that you don't lose the game in the first quarter."
Unlike Gloucester, Exeter failed to get their European campaign off to a winning start after a late Bayonne try condemned them to a 30-24 loss in France six days ago.
As a result, they cannot afford any slip-ups against Pool Two visitors Connacht on Saturday.
"They (Connacht) are a good side, and their record in the Heineken Cup shows they are a very tough side to beat," Exeter forwards coach Rob Hunter said.
"They scored a lot of points last week, have players in great form and they will be looking forward to coming here and having a real crack at us.
"At the same time, we are pushing hard and not only do we want to beat Connacht, but we want to kick into the LV= Cup and then back into the Aviva Premiership in really good shape."
The Chiefs show wholesale changes from Bayonne, with only England wing Jack Nowell, prop Moray Low and lock Don Armand retained. Among those returning to action are centres Henry Slade and Sam Hill, fly-half Gareth Steenson, flanker Dave Ewers and number eight Thomas Waldrom.
Saturday also sees Cardiff Blues visit minnows Rovigo, where victory for the Welsh side would tighten their grip on Pool 1 ahead of back-to-back meetings with London Irish in December.
Back row Josh Navidi will captain Cardiff and is one of eight changes made by director of rugby Mark Hammett for the game at Stadio Mario Battaglini.
Josh Turnbull is the other change in the back row, with Macauley Cook moving to lock to partner the called-up Chris Dicomidis. Italian international Manoa Vosawai will operate at No 8.
A new-look front row sees props Gethin Jenkins, fresh from his international call-up this week, and Scott Andrews pack down either side of hooker Kristian Dacey.
Cory Allen celebrates his selection for Wales' autumn international squad with a recall in midfield, where he joins forces with Adam Thomas who moves across to inside centre, while the final change for sees a return for Dan Fish as he takes the left wing berth.
Stade Francais fly-half Vincent Mallet insists there is no need for the French side to panic ahead of their European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 3 clash with Bucuresti.
The Top 14 outfit were beaten by the Newport Gwent Dragons at Stade Jean Bouin, with the Welsh visitors picking up a bonus point in the process.
"Losing the first game does not necessarily mean we cannot advance, we will take the games one after the other,” Mallet told European Professional Rugby.
"We lost our first home game so we must now only think about winning this weekend. We have got to get the job done.
"But the results only count come the end of the pool stage when everyone has played six games, we'll see how things look after that.”
Bucharest have never advanced beyond the pool stages of a European competition, and were well-beaten by Newcastle in their first game.
